A BMW source says a Z2 roadster 'doesn't make sense in these uncertain times'

AUTOMEDIA / BMW Z2 artist illustration

BMW will not build the Z2.

According to Imotormag, a BMW source says that the car is not on the product plan for the next 10 years. The Z2 was to have been a 4-cylinder, compact roadster that came in below the Z4 in the BMW lineup. The source says that there hasn't even been any "inside gossip" about a possible Z2-type vehicle.

Speculation had it that as the Z4 became a more expensive and upmarket car, with a powerful in-line 6 cylinder engine and a significantly higher price than its previous generation, that the market was ripe for a smaller BMW roadster based on the 1-series. But the BMW source disagrees.

Imotormag's source explains it this way: "We have the 1-Series convertible. It's a drop top, has rear wheel drive, is sporty and comes in at less than £20,000. Why would we need to invest a lot of cash in building a niche car like the Z2? It doesn't make sense in these uncertain times."

Imotormag's source explains it this way: "We have the 1-Series convertible. It's a drop top, has rear wheel drive, is sporty and comes in at less than £20,000. Why would we need to invest a lot of cash in building a niche car like the Z2? It doesn't make sense in these uncertain times."

Originally Posted by http://www.imotormag.co.uk/news/227637/bmw_z2_is_a_nogo.html

BMW Z2 is a no-go
Moving the BMW Z4 upmarket to make space for a new baby Z2 sounded great, until we found out it's not going to happen

There will be no BMW Z2 – well not in the next decade anyway! An insider at the German firm quashed our hopes that a smaller, cheaper baby brother to the Z4 was due in the next few years. God damn him.

“Everyone in the motoring media seems to be talking about this car but it’s not on my product plan and that lists the forthcoming models for the next 10 years,” he told us.

Of course, a Z2 could be under consideration but not actually signed off. After all, only those projects which have been given the green light are included on a manufacturer’s product plan.

But our insider said he hadn’t even heard any ‘internal gossip’ about the Z2. “Even if such a car was being discussed, and I’m not aware that it is, there is no way it could be brought into production in the time scale a lot of people are suggesting. It takes far longer than two years to sign-off a car, test it, set up tooling and build the thing.”

I am so unhappy with how BMW is taking the company. They're turning their cars into ugly Mercedes. Their "sports car", with sub-370z performance is priced well into the 50s. Now, they have a hairdresser car instead of a aportscar, with the 135i being the closest thing they have...

Now, they cancel the REAL enthusiast roadster? Not to mention M SUVs?

BMW, leave the status symbols and fashion statements to Benz. They do it better. Stick to what you're good at!

Being a fan of Honda engines, I requested that they consider building for the F1 a 4.5 liter V10 or V12. I asked, I tried to persuade them, but in the end could not convince them to do it, and the McLaren F1 ended up with a BMW engine.

I guess we'll see if this is true.
This car was clearly aimed at "emerging markets" and presumably the move to kill the program is based on the change in economic forecasts. It probably wasn't a bad idea, get a starter version of your brand into the hands of the potentially huge, aspiring middleclasses in developing countries. Low margins, big volumes.
Now it's back to low volumes, higher margins.

this makes sense,the z2 would kill the ugly z4(much cheaper and better looks without mentioning a twin turbo on lighter car),another reason to stick to my lovely e85 ...add hamann bumper and you are good to roll.